Review and discussions - Audioengine D1 24/96 USB and Optical DAC/amp for laptops and computers

[kenammo]

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Kenammo,  Glad you like your D1.  And thank you for posting your JRiver settings.  I tweaked them on my own but I didn't know what I was doing and I'm still getting the popping/clicking. 
 
However, today I received a used HRT II+, so I'll have a chance to compare the D1 (that I plan to send back) to it after I plug in your settings.  I have great hopes for the HRT but it may very well pop like the D1 does w/ my current settings.  I'll report back and let you know if your settings worked for me. 
 
Thanks again.

Hi Skawt01,
 
I'll be very interested in your findings with the HRT.  Hopefully you'll soon be able to isolate the cause of your pop/click problems and get back to enjoying the music!
 

 

[GLowaslike]

Hello everyone. Audio Newb here with a question. I have recently purchased a set of A2 speakers and is the audio coming out of the headphone jack out really different vs coming out of a DAC? sorry if this question is dumb but im really new to this stuff. thanks   

 

[dparker83]

If by "really different" you mean something akin to "holy @!@$% I can't believe how much better this sounds" then probably not.  But you would be able to hear the differences even with inexpensive speakers like the A2.  The differences (from experience with the A2 and the D1, which is Audioengine's budget 169$ DAC) are mainly an overall cleaner sound.  The sound is more clear and the instruments are more distinguishable.  There is less noise.  But this isn't a drastic change.  If you want a drastic change, you'll need to spend a bit more $$$$.  But is it worth 169$?  That depends on if you plan to get nicer headphones (like some budget Grados or something).  Most of those would benefit significantly from running through the D1 versus the headphone amp.  So if you're just sticking with A2 speakers and no headphones, I'd say only spend 169$ if you want to moderately improve your music.  If you are adding headphones or have headphones, you definitely should get the D1.
 

 

[GLowaslike]

Thank for the advice.

 

[TS0711]

Many thanks to Yoda (headphoneaddict) for the great review, etc.

I've had mine for just about an hour and a half. Right out of the box I swapped it out with my Bifrost using the ACR USB cable from my Mac mini and the Crimson RCA's to my VTL IT-85. I have to say it sounded really flat and lifeless, but it was bought for a different purpose (desktop head phone amp). I'm using Audirvana in hog mode, upsamplimg to 24/96, and it's in interger mode (really not sure why that's important).

I've removed the D1 as a source (cd) and am using it as a preamp into the IT-85's processor input... Basically just using the el34 tube amp of the integrated VTL. The D1 sounds significantly better that way, although it's got a really hot gain. I'm just barely using the volume control.

I'll run it in this way for the next day or two and then switch over to using the headphone amp. Monday it's hitting the road with me for real world office trials.

Thanks again everyone.
Tony S

 

[mink70]

It does benefit from 20-30 hours of break-in, and the difference in sound quality between the USB and optical inputs is really vast, at least in my setup (MacBook Pro, Fidelia/Bitperfect/Audirvana+, D1). I switched to the SonicWave glass Toslink cable (about $21 for .5 meter) which was another leap in SQ from a plastic one. If you can, give the two inputs a listen side by side and compare. To me, USB sounds flat and muffled in comparison.

 

[TS0711]

 
I moved over to a Windows 7 machine, downloaded JRiver 17 and I’m off to the races.  Jamming to a 24/96 flac of the Grateful Dead straight from the sound board in 1972, into HD600s.  Thank you Matt Smith
 
The d1 has about 16 hours on it... very nice for the price.
Tony.s

 

[SoundFreaq]

I want to pick one up. Does any place have them in stock? TS0711, where did you pick yours up from?
 
 

 

[TS0711]

I ordered mine from Amizon and it was filled by a company called ListenUp. Fast shipment, well packed, etc.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

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I ordered mine from Amizon and it was filled by a company called ListenUp. Fast shipment, well packed, etc.

A large amount of my speaker rig's gear has come from ListenUp over the past 8 years.  Good people.

 

[SoundFreaq]

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A large amount of my speaker rig's gear has come from ListenUp over the past 8 years.  Good people.

Thanks for the info!
 
I called and was able to get ListenUp's last one. Stellar customer service over there. Highly recommended. 

 

[SoundFreaq]

Just got it in. The headphone output is really hot! I literally move the pot 3 millimeters from zero before my low-impedance headphones would disturb my cube mates. I can't imagine the ES5 on this. It makes it nearly impossible to listen to low-impedance phones. 

 

[scamwb]

I bought mine directly from Audioengine along with a pair of A2's to use with my laptop. The sound is amazingly clear and the unit is super compact and comes with a cloth bag. This company really knows how to package their products. Since this is my first outboard DAC I don't have anything else to compare it with but for $169 it's what I wanted. Since I will be overseas with it I need something small (it's tiny) and reliable. 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Just got it in. The headphone output is really hot! I literally move the pot 3 millimeters from zero before my low-impedance headphones would disturb my cube mates. I can't imagine the ES5 on this. It makes it nearly impossible to listen to low-impedance phones. 

I mentioned this in my review that with some sensitive IEM the lowest volume setting before sound cuts out is closer to moderate listening levels, and for sleeping with IEM I would have to turn down the volume in iTunes software to get it lower.  It's less of a problem with my Westone 4.
 
I do most of my D1 listening with my A2 speakers, Shure SRH-840, HE-500 or Denon LA7000.

 

[SoundFreaq]

Guys,
 
I don't understand the analog out. I thought that was line-level from the DAC before the amp. Why is the volume pot involved? And why wouldn't all-the-way-up be line level? Line level is about 5% on the volume pod when outputting to my RS P-51. Is the analog out amped from the Audioengine??